New Roomates
by MJlang
Summary: After a tragic accident claims her father's life, Cagalli is forced to live with her older cousin, Kira, and his attractive but cold roomate, Athrun Zala. Will love arise from the two? Or is there nothing but hatred between them? AU. CxA
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** First of all, I would like to say this is an AU so there will be numerous changes. This won't be set in the CE, and consequently, there won't be any Space Colonies, Gundams, Bloody Valentine Wars, etc. Secondly, Cagalli and Kira are still related, but instead of being twins, their cousins with a three year age different. Lastly, this story doesn't start of on the most happiest of notes, but I swear that this is the only truly sad chapter. Things will become more upbeat soon since we all know how resilient our favorite blonde his. And her love interest, Athrun, will be featured more often after this!

So review if you like this story and would like me to continue!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.

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><p><span>Chapter One: New Beginnings<span>

It was weird how the weather could sometimes seem to reflect the mood of an occasion. However, today was not one of the days. It was too sunny, too cheery, and the sky was way too blue for a funeral. Golden beams of sunlight kissed Cagalli's rosy, tear stained cheeks. She'd put on a brave face throughout most of the service and shed only a handful of silent tears. The shock of it all was still so painfully evident on her face. She desperately wanted to let herself cry, but she knew once she did, she'd never be able to stop. And she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't morn, not yet. Because right now, she needed to be strong. She needed to be there to hold and comfort her grieving mother.

'_Ulen Hibiki. A loving husband, father, and friend_.' The tombstone read, white letters etched into dark grey marble.

Cagalli closed her eyes as she held up the incense sticks and bowed a silent prayer. She placed the three smoldering sticks at the base of the tomb and got up, once again joining her distraught mother, holding her tightly as she wept out loud. She realized the past week had been the hardest for her. Via Hibiki was undoubtedly the linchpin personality of the family – she held them together and was the pivotal, central foundation for all them – but she had always relied heavily on her husband. After all, he supported her and every decision she made. He was _her_ rock, the father of her child, the provider of their family, and her best friend.

Yet, in a blink of an eye, that all changed. Now he was gone from their lives forever, taken without warning.

"I'm so sorry, Aunty Via." A gentle hand rested on the quivering woman's shoulder, bringing the teenage girl beside her back to reality. "And I'm sorry my mother couldn't make it. She's currently preparing a room for your arrival. She asked that I send her condolences."

"Thank you, Kira." Via said softly as she turned to embrace her nephew tightly. "And thank you for agreeing to host Cagalli while she finishes her final year." The tall brunette university student nodded in understanding. The three-storey house she was currently living in was far too large and expensive for the two to live in; especially considering that she was a house wife, and on top of that, a single mother. If she even hoped of supporting her daughter, she'd have to re-enter the workforce. Fortunately, her sister and the boy's mother, Caridad, insisted they all stay with her. It was a kind gesture and exactly what she needed to get back on her feet after such a devastating loss. The only problem though, was that she lived in December City, a four hour drive from the Capital City. This meant uprooting and moving to a different part of the country. And as much as she wanted to keep what was left of her family, she knew it simply wasn't possible. Her daughter was already enrolled in the one of the most prestigious private schools in the world, and if she were to have a chance of good education, staying in Orb was the only option.

Luckily, Kira owned a moderately spacious three bedroom apartment where he and one of his university friends lived. For four months now, since late July, their third bedroom had remained unoccupied. After their last roommate decided to move out to live with his fiancée, they had never found a suitable replacement. And as soon as he heard the news of his uncle's death and the predicament his little cousin was in, he knew the room would be perfect her.

So it was decided that the sooner Cagalli could move in and settle back into some semblance of normalcy and routine, the better. She needed to immediately focus on her entrance exams which were slowly creeping closer. There might have been a lot of added pressure, but she still wanted to make her father proud.

It felt like the least she could do.

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><p>Once they entered through the front doors of the Hibiki home to pick up the last of her belongings, Cagalli didn't want to leave. She had grown up in this house – this was the place where she slept the first night of her life; where she had lost her first tooth; where she had first learned to walk. It possessed so many memories, and most importantly, it held the ones of her late father. It even felt like he was still in the house, lingering in every corridor and every room. She could never replace those memories and feelings. But one day, she knew they'd fade away, no matter how desperately she clung on to them or tried to relieve them. One day, she'd start to forget the color of his amber eyes or the way the corner of his lips turned up when he smiled, until nothing remained but a blur where a face should've have been.<p>

She didn't want to forget. She didn't want to leave. But she had no other choice. She couldn't help but choke on a few tears. There was too much change happening way too fast. Within the span of a week, her small but happy family had been ripped apart, and to make matters worse, she didn't know when she would see her mother again.

"Are you okay?"

Cagalli immediately turned back. "Oh. I didn't know you were standing there. I'm so sorry-"

"You can cry if you want too," Kira whispered gently, before pulling her in for a tight hug. He understood that she was trying to stay strong for her mother, but he also knew that she must've been terrified. Her father had just passed away, her mother was going back to her hometown to find a job, and she was being left behind to pick up the pieces of her broken life. It was way too much for any teenage girl to handle, but he was going to be there for her. He was going to show that he cared, supporting her every single step of the way. There was no way she was going to do this by herself.

"Thanks...but I'm sorry." Cagalli pulled away slowly and shook her head, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. "I can't cry. I have to be strong for mom. If I let her see how scared I am to stay without her, it'll make things harder for everyone. She'll worry about when she's gone and she already has enough on her mind. So, I have to be strong no matter what, even if I'm alone."

"But that's where you're wrong. You're not alone, Cagalli. You have me. And I promise I'll look after you. If you ever need anything, at anytime, you can count on me. We'll make it through this together, one day at a time, and you'll be fine."

The blonde nodded, feeling her pain subside a little, and smiled weakly despite the tears.

"You're right. We'll make it through together. I know it."

* * *

><p>"Please don't inconvenience your cousin, and treat him with respect at all times. Don't forget to do your chores and help out around the apartment as much as you can. Do whatever Kira or his roommate asks you and for heaven's sake, promise me that you'll stay out of trouble, Cagalli, alright? Promise me?"<p>

"I promise," Cagalli sniffled, as she nodded her head tearfully.

"And please study hard so that you can do your best on the university entrance exams. Make your dad and me proud. I know you're a big girl now and it's time you start taking things more seriously, okay?"

"I promise."

"Oh, and one last thing, if Kira has a girl over, don't bother him."

"Mom..." She whined quietly, lowering her head in embarrassment.

"Don't worry, Auntie Via. Cagalli a good kid. You have nothing to worry up. I promise I'll look after her when you're gone," Kira said while he lifted a hand up in the air, reinforcing his oath.

"Alright…but if you ever need anything-"

"If anything happens, we'll call you. I'll make sure Cagalli talks to you every week or so. We'll also let you know when the house and furniture are sold at auction. We'll keep in touch," Kira interrupted. The last thing he wanted was his auntie to worry about financial burdens at such a time. She was already leaving her only daughter, and her home behind, and he didn't want things to be any harder than they had to be.

Via smiled weakly at her nephew and nodded. She turned to her daughter and embraced her tightly once more as Kira began to load the last boxes of belongings into his car. "I love you, Cagalli. I'm so proud of the young lady you're becoming. So, please stay safe. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, too." She kissed her daughter's forehead as tears began to fall from her eyes once more. She clutched onto her, desperately dreading the time when she would have to let go.

"I love you, too, mommy. And I'll think of you every day," Cagalli said back. She bit hard on her lower lip, trying once again to be strong. She didn't want to ruin the tender moment by bursting into tears, so the two of them stood for a few moments longer, quietly holding each other. Eventually, when Kira finished loading all of her belongings into his car, they had to let go.

"You'll visit me and your Auntie Caridad on holidays, right?"

"Of course."

"I guess this is goodbye for now then. Have a safe trip, dear."

"You too, mom. Call me when you reach December City."

"I will."

Cagalli smiled and hugged her mom one last time before getting in the car. She quickly buckled herself in, and shortly after, her cousin got in as well. "Ready?" he asked, turning back to glance at her. She nodded, taking in one last look at the house she'd never return to, and the remnants of her family, before he began to back out of the driveway. Once they finally turned around the corner, she let out a sigh of relief. She no longer had to worry about being composed in front of her mother. It felt like she could finally breathe again.

"You know, I'm surprised at how strong you are," Kira confessed quietly, breaking the silence that hung in the air. "I know if the situation was reversed, I'd be in tears by now. You've gone through so much just today. I just can't even begin to imagine how you must be feeling."

"To be honest, I don't know how I feel either." Cagalli admitted absentmindedly, watching trees and houses as they blurred by. "I guess I'm just not quite ready to cry yet."

He turned at another set of lights and pulled into an underground parking ground. He rolled into his allocated apartment car spot and clicked the hand break into place. "Well, if and when you decide you're ready to talk about things, you know you can always come to me, right?"

"I know." She smiled gratefully as she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Thanks for looking out for me. It means a lot."

"You're like the little sister I never had, it's no problem." Kira shut the driver side door and strolled over to the boot of his car, unlocking it and yanking it in an upward motion. "I'm glad to have you here, and I want you to feel comfortable." He added as he began to unload some of her boxes from the back of his car. "Okay. This looks like it might take a couple trips. How about you help me carry some of these heavier boxes, then when we get up to the apartment you can check out your new room, start unpacking some things and get settled in. I'll bring the rest up for you."

"Are you sure? I can bring my things up-"

"No no. I'm more than happy to take your things up for you, and besides, my roommate should be back from work soon. He'll help bring some things up too if need be. You just take it easy, rest a little and try to settle in." Kira shut the boot of his car and lifted a number of boxes in his arms before shuffling toward the elevator.

* * *

><p>"What's with all this stuff? I thought you said she was seventeen?" As predicted, Kira's roommate pulled into the car park just as Kira was on his second round of fetching Cagalli's belongings. True to his word, the brunette put the poor boy straight to work, handing him bags of clothing and boxes of belongings to carry up. His deep voice grunted as he heaved a stack of brown cardboard boxes through the apartment door and placed them by the hallway. "Looks more like a four year old."<p>

Cagalli heard this unfamiliar voice from her new bedroom and cautiously stepped down the hallway to meet her new apartment buddy. Her heart beat anxiously within her chest as she heard the condescending tone in his voice. It made her wince. She wanted to make a good first impression. After all, his room was right across from hers and they would be living together under the same roof for the next few years. Unfortunately though, it didn't seem to be going well so far.

"Look at this, it's a stuffed lion." She peeked around the corner to see the tall blue haired man pulling out her favorite plush toy out of one of her bags. It was her very first toy; her father had given it to her the day that she was born.

"Don't touch that." A mixture of sadness and anger arose in her voice. "That's from my father." She added as she felt her irritation from his actions and his tone began to build up within her. How dare he go through her possessions? He didn't even know her and he was mocking her already? _What a jerk._ Cagalli clenched her jaw tightly and watched as the two men turned around to face her.

"I didn't know you were standing there-"

"Cleary not, you insensitive idiot."

The two glared at each other and Kira sighed. Something told him this was not going to be the start of a good friendship.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Finally finished! Chapter one is dunzo after three days of writing and editing. I'll be the first to admit this wasn't very happy, but I promise the rest of this story will be a somewhat light hearted romantic comedy between Athrun and Cagalli. But if you want to see their relationship progress, you're going to have to review!


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** First of all, I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed. It was amazing to have such overwhelming support after only one chapter of New Roommates, and I hope this trend continues. Secondly, to answer one of the most frequently asked questions, I do have plans to continue _The Wedding. _It was on a temporary hiatus since I was at school and was suffering from writer's block. However, now that I've seemingly found inspiration once again, I'm trying to start it again. Anyways, enough with the waiting…here's Chapter Two! Hope you all enjoy it!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gundam Seed and/or Gundam Seed Destiny.

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><p><span>Chapter Two: New Roommates<span>

"Cagalli, this is my roommate, Athrun."

"I'm sorry, how incredibly rude of me. Let me introduce myself. The name is Athrun Zala; I'm Kira's best friend and roommate." He extended his hand out to shake hers. "It's a pleasure finally meeting you, kid. Your cousin has spent the past three days continuously talking about great you are."

Her amber eyes lowered into a piercing stare as she clenched her jaw in anger and swatted his hand away. "The name is Cagalli. Cagalli Hibiki. Not kid." He chuckled at her reaction which made her fume even more. "Kira!" She protested loudly.

"Athrun..." The tall brunette observed the strange change in his best friend's demeanor. He had never acted like this before, so it was difficult for him to come up with something to say.

"Alright. I'm sorry." Athrun conceded. The smirk on his face hinted otherwise, but he just turned to Kira. "I just remembered that I have a chemistry report that I should be probably be finishing. Call me when dinner is ready, alright?" He asked, swiftly changing the topic of conversation before turning to face the blonde once again. "It was nice meeting you, Cagalli." And with that, he walked past her, down the hall, and into his room.

"Ugh. How can that _creature_ be your best friend?" She turned to her older cousin and attempted to control her temper through clenched teeth.

"I don't know. I swear he's usually not like this at all." Kira shrugged. "He's always Mr. Cool-and-Collected. I've never seen him this way before; it's actually kind of amusing. He's acting like a big kid around you, Cagalli. I think he's taken an instant liking towards you."

"_Liking_?" She huffed skeptically. "Yeah right. I just hope he doesn't get too comfortable around me." She rolled up a sleeve, "Or else." Kira laughed whole heartedly at her, and a gentle smile tugged on the corner of her lips as she lowered her fist and picked up a few of her boxes.

"Alright, leave it to me. I'll talk to him about it later." He picked up the remainder of Cagalli's boxes and helped her move them to her new room, where she began to unpack her clothes and belongings. "I'll start making some dinner now. If you need anything, just let me know, alright?" She nodded and he left for the kitchen.

She let out a sigh as she sat at the corner of her bed and began to sift through her clothes, folding some and hanging others. She missed her family so much already. She missed her mama's beautiful lullabies and wonderful food. She missed her papa's laughter, his incessant teasing, and his reassuring embraces. Her heart ached at the mere thought of the middle-aged man. All she wanted from him was one more moment to wrap her arms around him, kiss him on the cheek, and tell him how much she would always love him. But deep down, she knew never get the chance again. Not anymore. He was gone forever.

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><p>"Time to dig in!" Kira beamed. The dinner he had made for everyone consisted of his signature dish, homemade Japanese curry and rice with Miso soup on the side. "I'm really happy that we're finally having dinner together at the table. Usually, I finish my shift at work way after Athrun finishes his classes at the University, so more often than not we eat different meals at different times."<p>

"Statistically," Athrun interrupted, roughly stabbing his fork into his food, "Children who regularly sit at the table with their families tend to have better communication skills, better manners, better behavior, and achieve higher grades as a result." His eyes then focused on the blonde teenager sitting across the table from him. "Maybe you should start following that ritual."

"Excuse me, but for your information, Zala, I _do_ eat dinner with my family every night!" Cagalli stuck out her tongue out in retaliation. A memory instantly arose in her mind and she grinned broadly, chuckling at her own little inside joke. "As a matter of fact, just a few nights ago, it was mamma's fortieth birthday, and to celebrate, we tried baking strawberry shortcake, but father…" The radiant smile she had been proudly wearing suddenly died on her trembling lips. She lowered her gaze and sat in silence for a few moments, pushing chunks of carrot around the china plate.

"What? Did you burn the cake? Forget to turn on the oven?"

"Athrun, stop-"

"Is that why you're here? You ruined mommy's birthday cake and now daddy is upset at y-"

"Athrun!" Kira interjected once again. His booming voice echoed throughout the spacious apartment, resonating across the walls like a low growl emitted by a territorial bear. His violet eyes then softened as he turned to his cousin. "I'm so sorry, Cagalli. Everything happened so quickly, and I never had the chance to tell him about the accident. It's not his fault. He doesn't know."

"Know what?" Athrun asked, his crooked smirk giving way to a look of somber curiosity. He understood that he had undoubtedly hit a nerve, which was his goal, but he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was terribly amiss now. Had he somehow unintentionally gotten it right? No, of course not. That would have been impossible. From their short encounter only a few hours ago, he had been able to see a brief glimpse of her personality. She seemed to be a feisty, stubborn, head-strong teenager; and none of those qualities fit the basic criteria for a child raised within a dysfunctional family. So why was she here? Why wasn't she at home with her loved ones?

Athrun alternated between watching Kira and Cagalli, waiting for some sort of response or explanation.

But instead, she placed her fork back down on the plate and rested her hands on her lap. Her head was bowed and she sat still in absolute silence. Kira stared at her, unwavering. His brows displayed a deep concern that alarmed Athrun. It was clear to him that he had crossed some sort of line; he just wished someone would be interested in telling him exactly how he'd done it.

"What don't I know?" He asked again, rather impatiently. The silence carried for a few more moments before Kira turned to face his best friend.

"Last week, her father-"

"No." She interrupted. Her voice cracked and faltered as she spoke. "Don't do it. Don't tell him."

"But...Cags..." Kira lowered his head in an attempt to ascertain the meaning behind the girl's request by looking into her downcast eyes.

"It's none of his business, Kira." She lifted her head and faced her concerned cousin. Tears welled within her amber orbs, but her face remained as firm as stone. "And I don't want you telling him." Before her tears could fall, Cagalli quickly rose to her feet and turned to walk to her new room, determined to not let _that jerk_ have the satisfaction of seeing her cry. But when she finally reached the hallway, she stopped. Balling up her fists and breathing deeply, it took all her remaining courage to conjure up a response, although she didn't dare to directly look him in the eye. "There is so much about life, about this world, and about me that you will never get to know, Zala." The two men could only watch as she stormed off afterwards with her head held high.

"What did I say? Was it something I did?" Athrun ran his fingers through his silky blue hair in frustration as they heard the girl slam the door shut behind her. "I don't know what's going on anymore. But, you have to understand that I never intended on making her blow up like that!"

"I know, Athrun," Kira sighed dejectedly. He placed his fork down on the table since he too had lost his appetite for dinner. "And I really wish that I could tell you why she's so upset. But I can't. She has her own reasons for not wanting you to know about her father and we're both going have to respect that." He stood up, taking his and Cagalli's plate away. "But in the meantime, please do me a favor and try to cut her some slack. She's a good kid – she's just going through a lot right now."

"Wow. I never realized it was so serious." Athrun leaned back in his chair. "Here I thought this was our thing."

"Your _thing_?" Kira arched an eyebrow up curiously. "You've only just been introduced to my little cousin and you already believe that you two have a _thing_?"

"For heaven's sake, Kira Yamato, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that, despite only meeting a few hours ago, we've already established a sort of mutual dislike for one another." Athrun quickly finished off the rest of the curry and the brunette stood at the sink, watching him with a look of disbelief. "What? Why are you looking at me that?"

"You're kidding, right?" He blinked twice.

"What do you mean?"

He put the plates under the tap and stacked them into the dishwasher. "There's this sudden unexplained change in behavior, your 'thing' theory', the fact that you've already started antagonizing a girl you've only just met – it all leads up to the same conclusion. And it's that, you, Athrun Zala, are starting to develop a crush on my little cousin!"

"What? Where in the world did you come up with that idea? Besides, would you really be that comfortable with me going out on a date with Cagalli?"

Kira slammed the dishwasher door shut. "Heck no!"

"Exactly! So do us both a favor and stop psychoanalyzing me when there's no need for it. You said it yourself – she's just a little kid, probably nothing more than another one of those whiney, melodramatic, obsessive teenage girls. I'm really not _that_ desperate for a date, and even if I were, there are hundreds of thousands of single woman my age that I'd go after first." Athrun got up and cleared the table. "But...if it helps put your mind at ease, I'll apologize, even though I don't know what I'm apologizing for."

"Thanks, Athrun. I knew you'd do the right thing."

"Yeah, yeah." He placed his plate in the sink and walked down the hallway, stopping at the door across from his before knocking gently. "Cagalli? Can I come in?"

* * *

><p>"Cagalli? Can I come in?"<p>

"Go away, you stupid idiot." Her muffled voice responded.

Despite the blatant warning, Athrun slowly, cautiously turned the doorknob and pushed her bedroom door open anyways. "I came in to apologize for how I acted earlier-"

"Get out!" She hurled one of her pillows at him, hitting him straight in the face.

"Ouch! You hit my eye!" He growled, immediately gaining her attention.

She quickly perked up in her bed and turned towards the injured young man. "Oh crap." Cagalli groaned, swinging her long legs off the bed and rushing to his side. "I'm so sorry, Zala. I was majorly pissed off at you, but I never wanted to actually inflict any harm on you. Let me look at it." She tried to inspect the injury, but Athrun covered his eye with one hand while the other held the concerned blonde back.

"You've already blinded me. I think you've done quite enough." He tried turning away, but she leaned in, insisting on seeing his newly acquired war wound.

"Oh, c'mon! Stop being a drama queen, Zala! Let me see!" She reached over, using her fingers in an attempt to pry his hand away from his face. But as she continued to lean forward, he pulled back, and suddenly, Cagalli found herself losing balance. Before she could even react, she had already fallen on top of Athrun, toppling him backwards into the hallway. As they were falling, his hands instinctively flew to her sides to protect her, and he held onto her as she landed onto his torso. He groaned loudly as the pressure from her extra body weight made it harder for him to breathe.

"I'm so, so, so sorry!" Cagalli squeaked, lifting up her head in an attempt to look at the crippled man in the eye. Her nose accidently brushed up against his lips and immediately, her breath caught at the back of her throat in a loud short. She was so close to him, closer to him than she had ever been with any other boy before. His masculine hands resting on her waist made her feel so small and delicate. She could feel his warm body beneath hers, rising and falling with every labored breath. Another weak moan escaped his lips and brought her back down to planet Earth. She stammered another apology and swiftly pulled herself up, distancing herself from him as much as she could.

He groaned and sat up, only to receive a punch on the arm a second later. "Hey! What was that for?"

"For lying to me! I didn't hurt your eye at all!" She hissed, hoping to distract him as she attempted to recover from being in such close physical proximity to an older handsome university student. Luckily enough, he didn't seem to notice her embarrassment.

"That might be true, but now I have two broken ribs and a bruised arm instead."

"Why are you even here, Satan? Don't you have any other innocent teenage girls to hurt insults at? No kittens to scare up trees? Run out of ducklings to separate from their mothers? Or – let me guess – did you clock up some overtime just for me?" Cagalli demanded, watching as Athrun slowly rose to his feet, brushing off dust from his clothes.

"Believe it or not, I'm not here for any of those reasons." Athrun answered honestly, the seriousness in his tone leaving her slightly taken back. "I don't know what's going on in your life right now but I do know that it's personal and you probably don't want to share it with me. I'm a complete stranger, after all. I understand that. But in the future, if I touch on a sensitive topic, or offend you again, just know that I didn't mean to."

"Is that what I think it is?" She tilted her head up as she looked up at him incredulously. "Was that an _apology_?"

"I don't do this very often, okay?" He absent mindedly continued to rub the tender spot on his arm before rolling his head back to look up at the ceiling.

"Hmph. You know, it would be a lot easier if you had just said '_I'm sorry'_." She continued to eye him down and he squirmed uncomfortably under her gaze. "For Hamuea's sake, you've never even said those to words to anyone else in your life before, have you, Zala?"

"Look, I sincerely retracted my previous hurtful comments. Let's just leave it at that, okay?" And with that, he turned off and walked down the hall, effectively brushing off her accusations.

"I have to live with _that_?" Cagalli sighed to herself, collapsing on to her bed.

It was totally unbelievable.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Finally! After a not-so long wait, chapter two of New Roommates is done. Remember to review!


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